I Don't Want Christmas to End: A 3-Day Devotional With Zach WilliamsНамуна

Go Ahead and Hold On

“From the beginning God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, so that you might obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold to the traditions you were taught, whether by what we said or what we wrote.16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal encouragement and good hope by grace, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word.” —2 Thessalonians 2:13b-17

Life moves fast. We’ve known it since at least 1986, when Ferris Bueller decided he and his friends needed a day off from school, and twice dropped this deep and now-famous nugget of teenage wisdom: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”[1] That’s every bit as true at Christmas, too. If we’re not careful to slow down and enjoy the moments as they come, we’ll miss them. We might be present in them, but our preoccupation with other things and lack of full participation in those moments will leave us with regret. And, most importantly, instead of holding onto the reminders of truth those moments give us, we sometimes focus on and adopt whatever false worldviews are popular in our time.

Essentially, that’s what was happening in 2 Thessalonians. New ideas and practices had been introduced into the early church, and others would certainly follow. Paul wanted the believers to hold on to the instructions and teachings he had given them so they would not be persuaded and led astray by some other “gospel.” He gave this message to them in their culture and now to us in ours—don’t let this teachable moment pass you by. Stand firm in it and hold to the traditions you were taught. Remember the gift of Jesus and make the most of every opportunity. Slow down and let Him encourage your heart and strengthen you right now and for whatever comes next.

Paul was a guy who absolutely prioritized the gospel of Jesus every day. He didn’t want to let remembering the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus end. He held onto those truths in every moment, and we can, too. So go ahead and hold on to the message of Jesus this Christmas. Don’t allow yourself to become preoccupied with the priorities of this world. Instead, fill your mind with His eternal encouragement and good hope by grace. Stand firm in it. Take your time and enjoy the moments God gives you. And then let the truth of it all encourage your heart and strengthen you to live out His gospel call on your life in the days to come.

• Christmas is all about Jesus. What distracts you from focusing on the gospel of Jesus at Christmas?
• Do you tend to think about Christmas as an opportunity to grow in Christ? What truths about Jesus do you need to hold onto so that your faith might grow?
• Thank God for choosing you, calling you, and giving His grace-driven love and comfort in your life. Invite Him to help you make the most of every opportunity this Christmas so that He might establish you in every good work and word as you seek to stand firm on the truths of His Word throughout the whole year.

[1] “Ferris Bueller Quote,” Goodreads, accessed December 7, 2021, https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5758637.Ferris_Bueller.